Charles R. Merrill

Charles R. Merrill, 89, of Enola Road, Morganton, NC died Friday, May 21, 2010 at Kindred Hospital in Greensboro, NC. Born in Burlington Co., NJ on March 27, 1921, he was the son of the late Reid Lloyd Merrill and Irene Denton Merrill. Charles was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. He was a Master Sergeant in Co. 175 of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during WWII, during which he served in France, Italy, and Africa. He served as secretary and treasurer of the 42nd battalion for 50 years. Charles played for the Brooklyn Dodgers Farm Team and was scheduled to move up to the Brooklyn Dodgers but he decided to focus on his family instead. He loved to camp, fish, travel, and restore vintage mustangs. He also loved to sing Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Glenn Miller, and Frank Sinatra tunes.Charles is survived by his children, Diann Merrill Wallace and husband, Roy, of Rock Hill, SC, Charles Larry Merrill of Morganton, Barbara "Babs" Merrill Poole and husband, Stephen, of Raleigh, NC, and Eric Merrill of Morganton; a special daughter-in-law, Linda Houpe; grandchildren, Dawn Byrd Scholl, Andy Cagle, Kelley Merrill Rector, Daniel Merrill, Elizabeth Merrill MacKinnon, Courtney Merrill, Travis Merrill, Bradley Merrill, and Shelby Merrill; great-grandchildren, John Huckabee, Tristan Hammond, Seth Scholl, Dakota Merrill, Tyler Rector, Addison Rector, and Hudson MacKinnon; and brothers, Jerry and Bob Merrill, both of Morganton.In addition to his parents, Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah Dale Merrill, and two brothers, Warren and Stewart Merrill.The funeral will be held at 4:00 p.m., Monday, May 24, 2010 in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home with Reverends Larry Cline and David Order officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery with military honors provided by Valdese American Legion Post #234. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, Sarah Merrill Library, c/o Broughton Hospital, 1000 South Sterling St., Morganton, NC 28655, or to the National Kidney Foundation of NC, 5950 Fairview Road, Suite 704, Charlotte, NC 28210.